Ryan Poppe

News Reporter - Capitol

Ryan Poppe, reporter

Chris Eudaily
/ TPR

Ryan started his radio career in 2002 working for Austin’s News Radio KLBJ-AM as a show producer for the station's organic gardening shows. This slowly evolved into a role as the morning show producer and later as the group’s executive producer.

Eventually converting into an on-air reporter, Ryan has covered topics ranging from crime to the political process at the state capitol.

Ryan and his wife Mary own a home in Leander. He enjoys spending time at many of areas parks and outdoor spots with his son Luke and listening to live music at some of Austin jazz and reggae hotspots.

Ryan is the cook in the family and it is understood that the kitchen is his territory. His favorite menu items range from Jamaican to North African fare to modern Thai-cuisine.

Ways to Connect

One of the issues state lawmakers are examining ahead of the 2019 legislative session is whether or not the free speech of students on state college campuses is being protected. And that was exactly what members of the Senate State Affairs Committee asked campus presidents about during their panel discussion at Texas State University.

Members of the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee will exam this question Wednesday: Are students’ freedom of speech rights being squelched on state college campuses? The special legislative hearing at Texas State University in San Marcos follows the school's own high profile free speech conflict.

Texas Republican party leaders have censured outgoing Speaker of the Texas House Joe Straus. Party leaders said the formal condemnation has to do with Straus’ leadership decision during the last legislative session.

Gov. Greg Abbott appealed to the Trump administration Tuesday for federal money to help fund the state’s Healthy Texas Women’s program. The Obama administration in 2013 withheld the money when the state blocked abortion facilities like Planned Parenthood from those funds.